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Families of sick B.C. children get financial support

Each year, more than 5,200 patients travel to BC Children's Hospital in Vancouver for medical care from communities across British Columbia.

VANCOUVER - B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell has announced a $13-million program to help pay travel and accommodation expenses for families from outside Vancouver whose children are being treated at the B.C. Children's Hospital.

The B.C. Children's Hospital in Vancouver is the only hospital in the province that treats many serious childhood illnesses.

"As parents we need to be with our children when they are sick and need medical care," said Campbell, who announced the program Thursday at the B.C. Children's Hospital.

The program will provide a subsidy of as much as $150 a night to a maximum of 30 days for families who have to travel to Vancouver.

Hope Air and the Shriners of British Columbia and Yukon will also each receive annual grants of $500,000 to build on existing ground- and air-transportation assistance programs.